•Reassures international community neutrality, unyielding commitment to democratic integrity
Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that its primary mandate, which is to deliver free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive elections in 2927 that accurately reflect the sovereign will of the Nigerian people, remains clear and non-negotiable.
It also reassured the international community of its independence, neutrality and unyielding commitment to democratic integrity, as clearly demonstrated in the August 15 Osun State governorship election.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, stated this Friday in Abuja when the Canadian High Commissioner, Pasquale Salvaggio, led a team to the commission.
Amupitan noted that Canada has consistently stood out as a dependable international partner in supporting Africa’s democratic growth.
He stressed that over the years, Canada’s international development initiatives had meaningfully supported electoral governance, civic education, public institutional strengthening and gender inclusion across Nigeria.
Amupitan noted that the commission welcomed Canada’s continued interest, constructive engagement and technical support as Nigeria builds a more resilient electoral system.
He stated: “Our primary mandate at INEC, which remains clear and non-negotiable, is to deliver free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive elections that accurately reflect the sovereign will of the Nigerian people.”
To achieve this, Amupitan emphasised that the commission has treated every off-cycle election as a crucial proving ground for reform and operational perfection.
He explained that the commission has systematically tested and enhanced its operational frameworks across major electoral exercises—from the Anambra governorship election and the FCT Area Council polls to the Ekiti governorship election.
The chairman added that INEC remained focused on its shared priorities: enhancing voter participation, ensuring the security of the ballot, and building public trust in the electoral system.
Amupitan said the commission’s performance in the Osun State governorship election, conducted on Saturday, August 15, 2026, represented a benchmark in electoral administration.
He stressed: “Through early morning logistics deployment —where 3,556 out of 3,763 polling units (94.5%) opened for accreditation and voting precisely by 8:30 a.m.— optimal BVAS field performance, seamless result upload on the IReV portal and proactive crisis management, Osun demonstrated what is possible when administrative foresight meets technological fortitude.
“We view the success in Osun not as a final destination, but as the gold standard that will guide our preparations for 2027.”
Amupitan added that as the commission turns its full institutional focus towards the 2027 general election, INEC is scaling its administrative capacity to manage an unprecedented logistical operation.
He said in 2027, INEC would deploy a workforce of approximately 1.4 million ad hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide—representing one of the largest mobilisations of human resources for a national assignment in Nigeria’s history.
Amupitan stated: “Mr. Salvaggio, I want to reassure you and the international community of this commission’s absolute independence, neutrality, and unyielding commitment to democratic integrity, as clearly demonstrated in Osun State.”
Earlier, Salvaggio said the Canadian government was interested in how INEC intends to address the challenges confronting the electoral process and deliver elections capable of commanding public confidence.
He noted that his government had previously supported international election observation and remained prepared to contribute constructively to Nigeria’s democratic process.
Salvaggio noted: “It is a pleasure to be here and to contribute to ensuring that the electoral process moves forward successfully. This includes supporting the conduct of free and fair elections, which is of great importance to us.
“Most recently, we brought in international observers to monitor the conduct of elections. But Canada’s interest goes beyond watching the ballot.”
The high commissioner said his government was interested in programmes capable of increasing women’s participation in Nigeria’s electoral process, while also offering relevant information, technical assistance and other support that could strengthen participation and election observation.